Last-pulling machine



M. F. BROGAN.

LAST PULLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY19, 1915.

1,361,822 nte Dec. 14, 1920.

100 150 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

96 17a so a fm Fig.1; WY/ENTER?- M. F. BROGAN.

LAST PULLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FAILED MAY19. 1915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

4 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

M. F. BROGAN. LAST PULLING MACHINE. APPucAnoN FILED" MAY 19. 1915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3' M. F. BROGAN.

LAST PULLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mzn "M19. 1915.

I Pqtented Dec. 14,1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- O 163 am Mm/70R Fig.5.

M. F. BROGAN.

LAST PULLING MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1915.

1,361,822 Patented Dec. 1920.

5 SHEETS 5- iiilllll! A.

7 Fig. 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL E. BROGAN, or LAVJRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, As'sIGNoR, BY MEsNE ASSIGN- MENTs, 'ro UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORFORATION OF NEW JERSEY;

LAST-PULLING MACHINE.

' Application filed May 19,

To all whom it may concern.

' Be it known that I, MIoHAEL' FnANK BRO- GAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Last-Pulling Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatinglike parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for separating shoes and lasts, such machines being commonly known in the trade as last pulling machines, and it is the general object of this invention to provide an improved machine of this character.

In the process of manufacturing boots and shoes after the shoes have been lasted and, when welt shoes are being manufac-' tured, after the out soles and heels have been attached and the shoes have been substantially finished, it is necessary to separate the shoes from the lasts over which they have been shaped. In the lasting operation the upper is drawn very tightly over the last and secured in the closest possible conformity to the last so that the operation of separating a shoe and last necessarily subjects various parts of the shoe to considerable strain. For this reason, it is of great importance to the success of a last pulling machine that it be constructed and arranged to effect the last pulling operation with a minimum straining of the shoe in order to prevent injuriously stretching, tearing, distorting or otherwise damaging the shoes so operated upon.

So far as I am aware, the first successful last pulling machine to be devised is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,288,436, granted December 17,1918 upon application of Benjamin F. Mayo, a modis tied form being shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,203,571, granted No vember 7, 1916, upon application of John Benjamin. The successful operation of the Mayo machine is due largely to the adequate way in which provision is made for effecting separation. of a shoe and last by relative movement of the shoeand last along lines of least resistance, and also to the construction of the parts of the machine for accommodation to different conditions, in-

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B91314, 1920,

1915. Serial No. 29,204.

eluding variety in the shapes of lasts and shoes and in the different relative positions thereof during the operation of separating the shoe and last. I

One object of the present invention is to improve last pulling machines of the type disclosed in the .above mentioned application'by reducing still further the strains to which the shoe is subjected in the last pulling operatiomand to improve the machine in other respects. Accordingly, for the purposes of illustration and description, the present invention will be herein shown and described as embodied in a last pulling machine of the Mayo type. It must be comprehended, however, that the invention may have other uses, including its applications and adaptation to last p'ullingmachines of different types.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, one feature of the'machine herein described and shown consistsin means for imparting an additional and different relative movement to the shoeand last holding means during the period Of separating movement and in a direction to facilitate the separation of the shoe and last. Preferably, this means isoperated by power, asby a cam and operating connection from the same cam shaft through which the main relative separating movement is eflected, and is actu- I ated in timed relation to the first separat- As herein shown, one of ing movement. said holding means is first moved in a direction to separate the shoe and last and at a point in this separating movement, the other holding means is moved in the direction of relative separating movement. Preferably, and as shown, this additional movement is effected at or about the point in the first separating movement when the last and shoe have been separated so that the last clears the counter of the shoe and is lengthwise 'of the shoe similarly to the first separating movement but in the oppo site lengthwise direction. The second separating movement is instrumental in greatly reducing the pulling strains upon the shoe particularly in the region of the throat of the vamp and adjacent parts'of the upper which are especially affected by the relative passage of the extreme wide part of the last and the narrow opening at the throat of the vamp.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of holding means for effecting a normal tipping of the shoe about its transverse axis and with the shoe forepart free to rise, thereby facilitating the separation ofthe shoeand last and diminishing the strains to which the forepart and vamp v throat are subjected in the separation of the shoe and last.

, A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of means for engaging .ing the shoe on its last to facilitate the separation of the shoe and. last. As shown hereln, means are provided which are operative during separating movement and whilethe last is within the counter to spread or stretch the counter and thereby to facilitate the removal of the last heel from within the counter. It willbe understood that such stretching or spreading action will not be sufficient to-injuriously affect the shoe and yet will besuflicient to lessen the strain upon the forepart and vamp as well as upon the counter. utilize the upper folding means to pull or stretch the upper in "a manner tending 1.4. stretch or spread the upper part or the counter. V

Another feature of'the invention consists in the provision of means for supporting the shank portion of the shoe against down I ward or rearward movement, which means is adapted to be incorporated readily in'a machine of the type disclosed herein. In accordance with this object of the :invention, a feature of the machine illustrated herein consists in novel gripping means for the shank portion of a shoe of a shape to grip the shank portion of the upper so as to prevent heelward movement ofthe shoe, 7

said gripping means being so shaped as to oppose downward movement of the fore part of a 'shoe while permitting upward movement thereof.

Another feature of the invention, as embodied in the illustrated machine consists in the provision of a back member for the heel portion of the shoe upper arranged to conform to the contour of said heel portion and to oppose rearward and downward movement thereof.

These and other features of the invention, including certain novel means embodied in In the illustrative machine I,

the construction and arrangement of the illustrated shoe engaging devlces, as well as other features will be apparent from the following detailed description read in con,

nection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 1s a vlew in side elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the present inventions, part of the machine frame being' broken away to show inclosed mechanism Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 1s a perspective view showlng the shoe engaging and upper turning mecha- Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing in full lines the upper turning devices in operatlve engaglngposition relatlve to a shoe upper, the clamping position of the parts being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 7 is a similar diagrammatic view showing'the turning device in the position it occupies when operated to turn the upper backwardly toward the heel, the clamp releasing position of the parts being shown in dotted lines;

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional. view of the last jack illustrating an improved form of last pin and holder; I

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of shank gripping means.

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises an upright column, having in its upper part a bearing sleeve 2,. (Figs. 1 and 2) for a power driven shaft 4:. The shaft 4 of the carriage carries a loose pulley 6 intended to be connected to. a source of power,

this pulley having one face formed asa .pulley by a controlled floating lever 12 having a forked upper arm (Figs. 1 and'2) This spring is permitted.

journaled at 14 on the movable'clutch member 8 and controlled and operated, at its lower end by a toggle 1618 (Fig. '1) one end of which is pivoted to the floating lever, the other end being pivotally mounted on the machine frame. A rod 20 is pivoted to the toggle at its "central joint ,anddepends therefrom and is itself pivotally connected to a treadle 22 pivotally mounted in the machine frame. A spring 24 connects the treadle and machine frame and normally tends to pull the rod 20 downwardly to bring the toggle links into substantially alined position. In this position a dead center lock is afforded so that the lower end of the floating lever 12 is held fixed when the toggles are in alined or looking position. A stop pin 26 is ployed to prevent downwar movement of the toggles beyond safe locking position and a turn buckle 28 provides for adjustment of the rod 20. When the treadle 22 is operated the toggle lock will be broken and the compression spring 10 will be permitted to move the clutch member 8 into engagement with the pulley, so that the shaft 4 is rotated.

To provide for automatically disengaging the clutch and stopping the driven shaft, the upper end of the floating lever 12 is pivotally connected at 30 to one end of a link 32 arranged to move to and fro and guided between fixed ears 34 upstanding from the bearing 2 in which the shaft 4 turns. 7 The other end of the link 32 is forked to embrace the hub of a cam disk 36, fixed on the countershaft 38. This counter shaft carries a fixed worm gear 40 meshing with a worm 42 fixed on the driven shaft 4, the construction of the machine being such that the counter shaft 38 makes one half of a revolution for each complete cycle of the machine. The end of the link 32 is guided upon the hub of the cam 36 so as to allow sliding movement of the link forwardly and backwardly parallel to the shaft 4. On one of its side faces within the plane of the cam,

the link 32 has aprojection 44, the outer edge face of which projection is curved and is eccentric to the axis of the counter shaft 38 carrying the cam 36. The action of the compress on spring against the clutch normally tends to move the floating 1 lever 12 and the connected link 32 so that this projection 44 is located to be engaged by one or the other of rolls 46, 48 carried on one side of the cam 36, such engagement forcing the link 32 toward the left (Fig. 1) and against the action of. compression spring 10, thereby moving the floating lever in the direction to pull the clutch member 8 out of engagement with the pulley. The resistance offered to the roller 46 or 48 by the spring action against the projection is sufiicient to brake and stop rotation of the counter shaft 38 substantially coincidently with unclutching action. It is necessary that the operator release the treadle as soon as the toggle has been broken and the clutch thrown, so that the spring 24 may raise the treadle and pull down the rod 20, again moving the links 16, 18 to alined locking position and fixing the lower end of lever 12 as its fulcrum during the automatic unclutching movement. In the position of the rest of the (preferably emif parts, the cam carried roller acting against.

link projection 44 holds the upper end of the lever 12 stationary so that this end becomes the fulcrum of the lever 12 when the clutch is thrown in. This starting and stopping mechanism, specifically, forms no part of the present invention, but is shown as illustrating a desirable form of clutch mechanism for starting and stopping the machine with the parts in predetermined position.

For holding a shoe during the last pull ing operation, the machine herein illustrated is provided with shoe engaging and holding means comprising members for engaging the sides and back of a shoe and with other means engaging and supporting the shoe in the region of the shank. In addition, an adjustable heel gage is employed.

To clamp/the rear portion of the shoe, the illustrative machine is provided with counter and heel gripping means arranged to engage the sides and back of the shoe counter and, in one form, comprising curved plates 50, 52 having rearwardly offset endspivotally connected so that the clamp is formed as a sectional hinged member arranged to engage the rear part of the counter at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the shoe. These plates are provided with ledges at their lower edges and have secured thereto by suitable means a block providing a gripping face of rubber or other suitable material which will not mar the material of the shoe. At the rear portion of the hinged clamp this material is not secured to the plates so that it forms a flexible conforming band adaptable to a large variety of sizes and shapes of counters. This facing is longitudinally concaved. to the longitudinal contour of a shoe counter and is also vertically concaved to conform substantially to the vertical contour of the counter and to hold the shoe against downward movement at this point by reason of this concavity. Above the plates 50, 52 and at opposite sides are positioned channeled holders 54, 56 in which are mounted blocks of rubber or other suitable material concaved longitudinally and. vertically to conform to the longitudinal and vertical contour of a heel. These gripper holders or plates are pivotally mounted and arranged to be moved to and from shoe engaging position. Except for differences due to opnosed positions, the heel grippers are alike for both sides of the shoe. The counter plates 50, 52 and'the heel block holders 5456 are pivotally carried or swiveled on the inner ends of stems 60, each forming one of two telescoping sections 6O, 64, be tween which suitable relief springs are mounted in each instance. Means for varying the tension of the springs are provided in the form of suitably threaded abutment nuts.

To provide for movement'ofthese shoe clamping m ans into operative engagement with a shoe, the stems are carried by frames 64 which include the outer of the telescoping sections and which are movable endwise toward and from a shoe in guides in a gripper head 62. This gripper head 62 has outward extensions serving to guide opposed stems 66 carrying at their forward ends channel plates 68 in which are mounted shank gripping blocks 7 0 adjustable longitudinally of der yielding spring tension, and are guided for movement toward and from the shoe by means of slots formed 1n the stems and guide rolls carriedby the head. The arrangement .is such, that there may be adjustment of the stems and grippers to correspond with ad j ustment of the counter and heel grippers to adjust the shoe about its transverse axis. The heel grippers 54, 56 are normally swung on their pivots by light springs 58 so that they will be normally held open to permit the insertion of a shoe heel, the engagement oi the heel with the inner part of the grippers moving them into correct clamping engagement. It frequently happens that unless the heel grippers are swung outwardly, as described, the heel will engage the grippers in theside adjacent the gripping face which will tend to block the entrance of the heel between the gripping faces, as will be evident. The use of springs to swing the grippers outwardly will prevent such a blocking or jamming action. r

The frames 64, carrying the counter, heel and shank grippers, are-operated to move to and from the shoe by connections from the counter shaft.- The cam diskv36 has in its periphery two diametrically opposed and relatively short low parts or depressions, one of which is shown at 72, in Fig 1. bell crank 7 4: fulcrumed'at 76 on the frame carries on its lower arm a roll 78 (Fig l) 'which engages the periphery of thecam disk 36 and moves its upper end to and fro as the cam rotates. The upper end of the bell crank 74 engages and intermittently thrusts toward the left (Fig. 1)' and against the pull of return springs 80 a plunger 82 carrying at its end a cross head 84 (Figs. 2 and 3) connected by links 86 to the rear ends of bell cranks 88. These bellcranks are fulcrumed in the gripper head 62 of the machine and have their front arms linked by adjust able bars 90 to the sliding frames 64 carryplunger 82 and, through the links and bell crank connections described, moving the frames 64 to bring their grlpplng blocks into engagement with their respective parts of a shoe which has been previously inserted between the grippers and is held supported therebetween on a suitable ack hereinafter described. The grippers Wlll conform substantially to the contour of thesheebyflreasonfof their pivots and relief springs and will be held firmly against the shoe so long as the roller 7 8 rides upon the high part of the-cam 36., These gripping members are pivotally and yieldingly pressed against the shoe by reason of the relief springs operating against their stems. They will, therefore, conform to a wide range of shoes and their relief springs will prevent'injurious clamping pressure.

The head 62 in which the frames 64 are guided and by'which they are carried, is provided with downward extensions 92 positioned below the plates or blocks 50, 52 and provided with two or more set screws 94:

or other similar means for adjustably supporting the grippers at an angle to the hori-,

zontal, so that these grippers may sosupport the shoe as to effect .a normal tipping of the shoe about its transverse axis. The plates or blocks carrying the heel. grippers and the counter grippers being superposed, adjustment of the counter grippers by means of the set screws 94Jwill likewise adjust the heel grippers at a corresponding inclination. The shank grippers arecapable of turning movement,.to conform to the inclination of the counter and heel grippers as before stated.

This normal tipping of the shoe about its" transverse axis has been found'to be very advantageous in that it positions a'shoe at an angle wherein the strainagainst the parts during separation is materially lessened.

Furthermore, the grippers being springpressed and pivoted will yield sufficiently to allow upward tilting of the forepart of the shoe during the last pulling operation.

In order to'engage the top lift of the heel soas to properly gage the position of the shoe relative to the heel and counter grippers, an arm 96 extends voutwardly from the gripping head and is formed with a bore therein'and with a set screw tosup port adjustably a horizontal bar 98 extending outwardly therefrom and formed with a vertical bore and set screws. Depending from the bar 98 and adj ustably carried thereby is a gage bar 100, to the lower end of which is journaled a heel gage 102 pivotally carried by the bar 100 and adjustable in the direction of the length of the shoe by means of a clamping screw carried by the bar operating against an upstanding ear on the gage plate, The inclination of this gage plate can be adjusted to conform to the pers, (Figs. 4 and5).

If desired, the shank gripping block with its rubber pad may bedispensed with and.

the welt crease of the shank may be enga ed at opposite sides by suitable means. he form that such means may take is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, in which 104 represents the slotted spring-pressed stem and 106 the gripper head through which it is guided. The forward end of the stem is formed as a tubular portion 108 having its outer face grooved to receive a vertically sliding bar 110 having a thin foot 112 designed to enter into the welt crease. The upper end of this bar is offset and is adapted to receive an adjustingscrew whose lower end enters into the tubular portion of the stem and'is yieldingly supported by a spring 114 held therein. At its opposite end, the bar is provided with a finger 112 arranged to engage in the welt crease of the shank. A pair of these welt crease engaging members will be used, one on each side of the shoe. It will be evident that the spring described provides means for yieldingly supporting the shoe at this point.

For engaging and holding a last and withdrawing it from its shoe while the shoe is held by the clamping devices heretofore described, the illustrated machine is provided with a last support and holdercomprising a spindle 116 (Fig. 3) carried on the front end of a swinging carrier 118 pivotally connected at its rear end at 120 to the upper end of one arm of a bell crank. This bell crank is fulcrumed at 122 on the upper end of a plunger 124, having an offset at its upper end, with which the other arm of the bell crank engages when the last spindle is in its lowered position. The spindle 116 is provided with a vertical socket therein, counterbored adjacent its base to receive a latch pin 126 normally spring-pressed into the socket and having an operating finger piece 128 extending outwardly througha slot formed in the swinging carrier 118. The last pin 130 is formed adjacent its lower end with an annular groove 132 therein into which the latch 126 enters, serving to detachably retain the latch pin in the last spindle. This pin and groove connection in combination with the pivotal mounting of the carrier provides a mounting for the last pin enabling the pin to turn freely with the last as it turns in being removed from the shoe so as to give as nearlyas possible a straight .line pull on the last. Intermediate its ends, the last pin is" formed with a shoulder designed to rest upon the upper end of the splndle to properly position the pin. The upper end of the pin is preferably shouldered down adjacent its end to form an annular shoulder 134 which will afforda biting grip against the thimble of the last hole. V j

The lower end of the plunger 124 is pivotally secured to one end of a cross bar 136 the opposite end of which is fulcrumed on the machine frame at 138. An operating bar 140 is pivoted at-its lower end to a cross bar 136 at a point intermediate its ends. The upper end of the bar 140 is forked to embrace and'be guided by the hub of the cam 36. Below its fork it carries a roller 142 (Fig. 1) lying in the plane of oppositely disposed wiper cams 144 carried upon the faceof the cam 36 opposite-the rollers 46, 48. These wiper cams will engage the roller 142 at a point in the opera tion of the machine subsequent to the operation of the bell crank 74 to move the grippers into shoe gripping position, and will move the bar 140 downwardly against the action of a counter weight 146 acting against one end of the bar and normally tending to move it upwardly. This downward movement of the bar 140 will take place after the shoe has been gripped and will act-against the plunger 124 to move the latter downwardly. This downward movement of the plunger will, through the bell crank and its connected carrier 118, first tilt the spindle and lastpin lengthwise heel ward of the last to cramp the last pin in the last pin hole and securely grip the last, and will then exert a downward pull on the last in a direction substantially perpendicular to theplane of the shoe bottom. This movement takes place against the resistance of the clamped shoe. The relief springs coiiperating with the shoe gripping devices make the initial resistance to pull a yielding one so thatthe start of the last pulling is effected without any sudden strain being imparted to the upper. Downward movement of the plunger pulls the last downwardly in the vertical plane referred to and lengthwise of the shoe and last until the last is completely removed from the shoe. By reason of the pivotal connections of the carrier and bell crank, the plunger at all times during its descent exerts upon the last spindle a distinct "and increasing backward pull, so that during its generally downward last extracting movement, the last spindle is caused to exert upon thelast a constant and progressively increasing pull in a heelward direction. The result is that, as the last is moved downwardly, it is also moved lengthwiserelati'v'ely to the shoe as much as is permitted by the relative positions of the last and shoe. This length-wise movement during the initial stages oflast pulling, is very I slight and until the last has been moved downwardly far enough toclear the counter portion on the shoe, only very slight lengthwise movement is permitted, this'portion of ward pull on the last will. beelfective to swing the forepart of the shoe upwardly to some extent and to that angle which is effectiveto lessen the resistance to pull and facilitate extraction of the last.

Even with the heretofore described pro visions for lesseningstrain on the shoe and facilitating the separation of shoe and last, the shoe is still subjected to severe strain, particularly at and about the throat of the vamp, which may injure shoes in certain cases and under certain conditions. I have therefore provided means for additionally relieving the strain of separation and for facilitating this operation. In the illustra-' tive machine this is accomplished by moving the shoe with its grippers relative to the last and in the direction of length of the shoe while the last is being moved relative to the shoe.

The gripper head 62 which extendsout from the machine and carries the various gripper members, has a flanged base 154 supported and guided in ways 156 in the machine frame (Figs. 1 and 2), and slidable in the direction of length of the shoe and last. At the under side of the head 62 a lug 1 58 (Fig. 5) projects downwardly. A cam lever journaled on the machine frame at 160 has its upper end pivotally connected with the lug 158 by a link 162. The lower end of this lever is enlarged and formed with a cam slot 164 therein (Fig. 1). The upper forked end of the bar 140 is provided with a lateral offset 166 carrying a roller 168. riding in the cam slot164. This cam slot and roller are figured to operate against the cam lever to move link 162 and the gripper head forwardly at that period in the downward last pulling movement of bar 140 wh'enthe'last heel hassubstantially cleared the counter. This forward movement of V the gripper head will move the shoe and grippers bodily forward in the direction of length of the shoe at the time that the last is being moved lengthwise in the opposite direction and at that time when the wide part of the last is passing the narrower part of the shoe upper and is therefore subjecting it to considerable strain. This strainis materially lessened by the bodily movement of the gripped shoe in the opposite direction. I This movement will prevent binding of the last on the shoe and will increase the speed of the last pulling operation; When the roller 168 will act against the cam 16- yer to retract the link 16?. and gripper head 62. It will be evident that when theigripper head is moved forward bodily, the plunger '82 will be moved rearwardlyrelatively thereto by springs to lessen the gripping pressure on the shoe unless itis held in its fully forward position. In the illustrative machine I have formed a notch 170 in the underside of the plunger (Fig.

hereinafter described, to

1) and have mounted in said gripping head a spring latch 172 designed to enter'in the notch 170 when the plunger is moved to fully forward position. A link 174 is pivotally attached at its upper end to this latch and has its lower depending end formed as a loop in which the roller 168 also extends. When the bar 140 reaches the limit of its downward last pulling movement it engages thebottom of this loop and pulls the link downwardly retracting the latch 172 and permitting the return spring 80 to retract the plunger.

' It frequently happens that when arranged this means to exert a stretching or spreading pull on the upper part of the counteracting to stretch the counter and to facilitate the separation of the last from that portion of the shoe. In the illustrative machine, an upper turning head 176 is carried 'by the gripper head, beingguided upon a standard 180 for vertical sliding movement. The head 17 6 has a depending arm bifurcated at its lower end to provide laterally extending arms 178 shaped to conform substantially to the outline of the rear of a shoe upper and arranged to inclose and guide the upper to the gripping elements supported by these arms. At their outer extremities these arms have bearings 182 extending in line with the arms and at an angle to the longitudinal median line of a shoe so as to conform substantially to the divergence of a shoe upper from the back stay forwardly. The jack spindle 1 16. and

' "I00 hi-{Z1177 7 shoes are being treated the last sticks because of the binding or blocking'acti'on of the top or high ,part of the high shoe cooperative relation to the counter, heel and shank grippers the rear portion of the sides of the upper will extend th n the area inclosed by thearms 1'78 ann ll be in line with and in cohperati e relation to the turning grippers. Except for dillerences due to opposed positions the construction of each turning gripper is the same. Y Each comprises a crank having an arm 184 extending tin'ough and journaled in a bearing 182 and retained therein by the sleeve 186 fixed to the end projecting beyond the hearing 182; it is desirable for reasons hereinafter stated, to provide a 'drag or slight resistance to turning movement of the crank arm in the bearing and for this purpose ction springs .188 (Figs. 6 and 7) may be ted in the bearings 182 to act against the crank sleeves 186. The other arms 190 of the cranks carry the turning grippers, one rigidly secured thereto and the other mounted thereon for slight relative turning move ment toward and from the in per positioned between the grippers. The fixed gripping and turning members comprise curved iingers 192 whose convex outer faces-are adapted to engage the last spindle, when the head 176 is lifted, and be guided thereby outwardly toward the upper. The relatively movable grippers 191 are journaled on the arms 190 at one side oi the fingers 192 and have their extremities termed as oii'set fingers 196 positionedopposite the gripping ends of the fingers 192. The relative turn.- ing arm 190 may be limited by a pin on the crank and a recess in the adjacent journal portion'ol the linger (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) or any other suitable means. The grippers 19 1 are also preferably bent outwardly (as best seen in Figs. 6 and 7) to afford, in conjunction with the concaved faces of fingers 192, ample space betweenithe grippers to receive the shoe upper. The grip ers 19% are journal ed on the arm 190 between their ends, their tree encs extending below the hearings 1'82 (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) at an angle to the vertical. The grippers have their opposite ends pivotally connected to the upper endsoi operating rods 198 designed to first move the gripper'19 relative to the finger 192 to grip the upper and designed subsequently to move the grippers as a whole about the center formed by the axis of the crank arm 1841. The limited relative movement of gripper 19 1 is permitted be-- cause of the drag or frictional resistance of the springs 188 to turningmovement of the crank. At the end of this relative free movement oit arm 194 to grip the upper, the continued movement of the rods 198 upand the latter is" movement or these lingers 194 on the.

wardly turns the grippers as a whole about the axis of crank arm 184: in opposition to the drag of the springs 188. p

The operative gripping parts of the members 192, 19 1 are positioned beyond and eccentric to the axis of rotation to the gripper so that a pull is exerted upon the upper outwardly of the shoe, serving not merely to facilitate turning of the upper, including the back-stay, backwardly toward the heel, but exerting substantial outward pull against the upper portion of the shoe counter to effect a stretching of the counter to facilitate last removal. The grippers are positioned to engage the upper on opposite sides of and adjacent to the back stay so that the turning action under tension of the upper eiiective to turn the back stay with he upper despite the comparative stillness of the back stay.

The machine "frame is provided with an offset 200 at a point below the turning head. This offset provided with inclined elongated slots 202 therein through which the rods 198 extend, the elongation of these slots being in the direction of movement of the rods when the gripper head, including the turning head 176, is moved bodily forward. The lower ends of these rods are pivotally attached to a floating cross bar 204. Springs 206 coiled about the rods 198 between the under face of the offset 200 and abutment washers on the rods, act against these rods and'norm'ally tend to pull them downwardly to position the grippersand their associated parts as shown in Figs. 1 and At a point between the ends of the cross bar a chain 207 is attached and extends 212 in Fig. 3. On the gripper head at 013- posite sides of the upper turning head 176, bell cranks 214- (Fig. 8) are journaled, these bell cranks having their lower arms provided with pins resting in the trunnions 21 2. The upper ends of these bell cranks are pivotally connected by adjustable depending links 216 with the upper turning head 176. These links provide for adjust-- ment of the turning head vertically of its standard 180.

When the shoe-gripping cros.i:--head 84 is moved forwardly to grip the shoe the trunnions 212 rock the bell cranle' 1 1 and raise the gripping head 176 relatrvc to the shoe supported by the counter, shank and heel. gripping devices heretofore described. The arms 178 of the turning head will have previously confined the shoe upper between them and substantially in line with the turning grippers. As the head is thus moved upwardly on shoe gripping movement of the machine the pull on the rods.

198 will swing the grippers slightly out ward from the shoe to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6 the curved finger engaging the last and guiding the top edge of the shoe upper into the space between the grippers. This will be the position of the parts when the last pulling movement of the bar 140 begins to pull down the cross bar 136 and its extension arm 210. The chain 207 will be pulled upwardly moving the bar 204 and the rods 198 upwardly and compressing the springs 206. The first movement of the rods will move the. gripping arms 194 inwardly toward the fixed grippers 192 firmly gripping the upper. Continued upward movement of the rods will turn the grippers as. a whole about arms 184 as axes turningthe upper backwardly toward the heel as heretofore described, and

7 The upper is also sufficiently turned before the last clears the counter so that the upper isout of the way and clearance is afforded without any delay. When the last clears the counter the gripper head is moved to carry bodily outward the shoe with its gripping and turning mechanism so as to move the shoe relativeto the last in the direction of length of the shoe reverse to that in which the last is being withdrawn, thereby loosening the forepart of the shoe on the forepart of the last and greatly facilitating and expediting the separation of the shoe and last. The elongation of the slots 202 in which the upper turning rods are guided,

-provides for swinging. movement of these rods during such forward movement. The movement of thegrippers during the final stage of last pulling movement is comparatively slight and the parts in their final upper turned position are substantially as represented in Fig. 7. When the wiper cam 1 14: clears roller 142 the compressed springs 206 operate tofirst move the finger 196 to release the upper and then. turn the grippers as a whole about the axis of arm 184and back to original position, the head 176 dropping as the shoe-gripper cross head 84 is returned and both the shoegripper and upper turning heads being moved rearwardly through counter weight 1 16, assisted by compressed springs 206, acting to elevate the bar 140.

blocks.

1 Owing to the use of lasts having instep blocks which must be pulled before the last may be pulled from the shoe, it is necessary to provide means for extracting these Accordingly, at one side of the gripping head of the machine and adjacent the last spindle, an arm 1418 is secured 'to and depends from the gripper head and has. a pin 150 detachably secured in a socket formed in its en'd', said pin having one end arranged to enter into the arm socket and having its other end formed with complemental' spring arms 152, arrangedto be into engage and release the plungeror latch,

the spring arms yielding and being pressed er during thls action, and being 130 and swinging up the carrier 118 to pre- 'serted through the hole in the-instep block 7 sent the shoe between the'grippers, has only to move the last toward the arm 148 so as to insert the spring arms 152 into the hole in the instep block and then pull the last away, the spring arms retaining and withdrawing the block@ Thelast may then be spindled upon the carrier 118 and the latter moved up. to position the shoe between'the grippers. This block extracting device forms the subject-matter of United States Letters Patent No 1,288,459, granted December 24c, 1918, upon a divisional applica tion.

It is to be understood that the expression lastpulling machine and kindred expressions employed in the claims and elsewhere herein, are to be constructed as limitedin scope to a machine for pulling lasts from shoes onlywhen necessarily and plainly so restrictedby the immediate context or by ployed in a generic sense to designate the separation of a shoe and last, however accomplished.

the prior art, such expressions being em- What I claim, therefore, as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

1. A last pullingimachine having, in com: bination, shoe holding means, last holding means,mechanism constructed and arranged relatively to move said holding means ina direction to separatethe last and shoe,and means arranged to effect additional relative separating movement of the shoe and last holding means during the period of separation in a different direction to facilitate separation of the last and shoe. 2. A last pulling machine having, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding means, mechanism constructed and arranged to effect relative movement of the shoe hold- 7 ing means andlast holding means in. a direction to separate the shoe and last, and

means arranged to efi'ectadditional and clifferent relative movement of said holding means in timed relation to said first relative movement and in a direction to facilitate the separation of the shoe and last. I a

3. A last pulling machine having, in com -v bination, shoe holding means, last holding means, and power operated mechanism or ganized to effect relative movement of the shoe and last holding means in a direction to separate the shoe and last and at a point during said first movement automatically to effect a second separating movement in a different direction to facilitate last and shoe ing means to facilitate the separation of .the

shoe and last. 7

5. A last pulling machine having, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding. means, power operated mechanism organ-. ized to effect relative movement of said holding means in a direction to separate the shoe and last, and means operated in predetermined timed relation to the relative separating movement of said holding means to impart additional relative separating movement to said holding means and there by facilitate the operation of the machine.

6. A last pulling machinevhaving, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding means, mechanism organized relatively to move said shoe and last holding means in a direction, including movement ina direction lengthwise of the shoeandflzistftoseparate a shoe and last, and means for effecting additional lengthwise separatingmo'vement of said shoe and last holding means in a different direction during the period ofthe first movement, to facilitate the longitudinal separation of the shoe and last. i

7. A last pulling machine having, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding means, and power operated mechanism organized to effect movement of one'of said holding means relatively to the other in a direction to separate a shoe andflast and operative in timed relation to said separating movement to effect movement of the other of said holding means relatively to the first holding means and in a'direction to.

facilitate said separation.

8. A last pulling machine having, in come I bination, shoe holding. means, last holding means, mechanism for moving one of said holding means relatively to the other in a direction to separate a shoegand last, and mechanism operative during said separating movement to move the other of said holding means in the direction ofrelative separating movement to facilitate separation.

9. A last pulling machine having, in combination, shoeholding means, last holding means, and mechanism organized to effect relative last and shoe separating movement of said last and shoe holding means first in,

a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then lengthwise of the shoe and including means operative to effect simultaneous lengthwise movement of said shoe and last holding means in reverse directions to facilitate separation.

10. A last pulling machine having, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding means, and power operated mechanism, for effecting last and shoe separating movement of one of said holdingmeans relatively to the other in a dlrection first substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then lengthwise of the shoe and for imparting lengthwise movement to said other holding means coincidently with and in a direction reversely to lengthwise movement of the first holding means. 7

11. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged to move one of said holding means relativeto the other to separate the last and shoe,'and means for moving said.

other holding means relative to the first during the period ofsaid separation to facilitate the separation.

12. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, meansfor holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged "to move one of said holding means relative to the other to separate the shoe and last, and 'means for moving said other holding means relative to the first in timed relation to and during said first men'- tioned movement to :facilitate the separation.

13. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism'constructed and arranged to move one'of said holding means relative tothe other'to separate the last and shoe, and means cooperating with said mechanism and operated thereby .to'

move said other h'olding means relative to the first during the pendency of said first mentioned relative movement. 7

14. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a'shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged to move said last holding means -in. a direction to separate the last from. the shoe, and means operative to move said shoe holdin means relative tesaid lastholding means and in a direction-to separate the shoe from the last J V 15; Alast pulling machine hav1ng,1n'com-- bi'nation; means for holding ashoe means for-holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged to move said last holding means in a direction to separaterthe last from the shoe and means operative during such separat'ing movement to move said shoe holding means relative to said last'holding 'means' and in a direction to separate the shoe fromnthelast, V

16. Alast ,pulling machine having, in combination, means; for holding; a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged to move, said last holding means in a direction to separatethelast from the shoe, and means operativeiat, a point during such' separating movement and subsequent to the initiation thereof totmove said shoe holding means relative toisaid; last. holding means and, in a .directiongto separate the shoes from the last. V ,7

17. A la st}pulling machi-ne ihaving invcombination,- means fonholding. a shoe,,means for; holding a last, mechanismiconstructed and arranged to move sai d lastholding means -.in a direction toflseparatenthe last fro mcthe shoe, and means, operative approX-. imately, whenthe lasthas been moved to clear-the.v shoe counter. to move said .shoe holding means relative to said last holding means and in adirection to-se ara-te the shoe ,7 a

' p structed and arrangedto move said last holdfrom the last,

18. A lastipulling machine having, incom bination, means for holding -a, shoe, means for.,holding a'last, mechanism constructed and arranged to effect irelative movement of said shoe holding means and saidla'stholdingjmea'ns in a direction substantially perpendicular to. the plane ofLth'e shoe bottom and thenin a direction genera-lly length-1 Wise of vthe shock-ands last :to separate- -said shoeiandg last, and means 'for. e'fiefcting other: and additional movement betweengsaidishoe and last during the period of separation to facilitate. such; separation: v v

19. Alast pullingmachine having incomibi-nation means for-holding a shoe, means for: holding, a last mechanism gCOIlStlHGtGd and arranged to effect. relative movement; 10f said shoeholding means and said'last hold,- ing means-in a direction. substantially per-; pendieular to the plane of theshoebottom and then in a direction generallylengthe i wise of the shoeand last;to separate said shoe and last; and means, operatives when clear the ishoe counter, for effecting Y other aridadditional; movement betweenisaid shoe and lastin aidirection;ilengthwiseiofsaid V tionto facilitate such separation.

said shoe and lasthaveibeenseparated t for holding a last, mechanism constructed and arranged to effect relative movementoi said shoe holding means and said last holdingfmeans in a direction substantially per: pendic'ularto. the plane ofthe shoe bottom and then in-a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last ,to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means,1co6perat-' ing with said-mechanism and'operative when said shoe and last have been separated :to clear-thelastyheel and shoe counter, for cffecting other and additional movement 'between said shoeand lasttin a direction lengthwise of the shoe during the period of V separation-to facilitate such separation:

21. A last;pulling -machine having, incombinat-ion, means for holding a 'shoe, means for-holding a, last, mechanism constructed and arranged-to pull a last from. within a shoe by movement of said last holdingmeans relatively to said shoe holding means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the V plane of"the shoe bottom and'then ina directlon generally lengthwise of the shoe andlast, and means operative subsequently to the initiation of said lastpulling movement, for moving the said shoe holding means to last. 1

move: said shoe relative to said 92A last vpulling machinehaving, in

combination, means for holding a;rshfoe,

means for holding a last, mechanism con then in a direction generallylengthwise of V. a

the shoe and last to separate said last from said shoe, and means operative subse-r 'quently' to the initiatio'nof saidseparating movement; for moving said shoe holding means to move sa1d,shoezrelativeto sald'last and .in a direction I substantially lengthwise of said shoe and. last.-

232A" last pulling machine havingfi'n combination, meansfor holding a shoe, means "for holdlng a last, mechanlsm con structed and arrangedto move, said lastholding means relatively to said shoe Vhol'ding means in-a direction substantially perpendicular to; the plane of-the shoe bottom and' thenin a direction generally lengthwise ofthe shoe and last to separate said last machinelhaving; in

combination a head gripping 'meansccan,

V ried thereby arra-nged tofghold a shoe, means 7 for'holding a last, mechanism 'iOI' moving 12o V from'said "shoe, and means operative when said last holding means relatively to said shoe and head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the-shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said last from said shoe, and means operative to move said head and shoe relatively to said last to effect separation of said shoe from said last during the separation of said last from said shoe.

25. A last pulling machine having, in combination, a movable head, gripping means carried thereby arranged to be operated to grip and hold-a shoe, means for holding a last, means for operating said gripping means to hold a shoe, mechanism for moving said last holding means relativeto said shoe and head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to separate said last from said shoe, and means operative to move said head'and gripped shoe in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and last and relative to said last to separate said shoe from said last during the pendency of the first separating movement.

26. A last pulling machine having, in combination, a head, gripping means carried thereby arranged to hold a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism for moving said last holding means relative to said shoe and head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane'of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said last from said, shoe, and other mechanism cooperating with said first mentioned mechanism and operated thereby when the last has been moved to clear the shoe counter to move said head and shoe relative to said last in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe 28. A last. pulling machine having, in

combination, means for holding a shoe,

. means for holding a last, means for effecting relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe and last, and'means operative during such separating movement to fold. the top of the shoe upper back toward the heel to upper. I V

29. A last pulling machine having, in

combination, means for holding a shoe,

means for holding a last, mechanism for effecting relative movement'between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means controlled by said mechanism and operative during separating movement to fold the top of the shoe upper back toward the heel to afford clearance between the last and shoe upper.

30. A last pulling machinehaving, in combination, means for holding a shoe, meansfor holding a last, means for effecting relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last andjmeans operative during such separation to fold the top ofrthe upper back toward the heel to afford clearance between the last and shoe upper, said means being subsequently operable to unfold the upper. 31. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for-holding a last, mechanism for effooting relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last,-.and means cooperating with saidmechanism and operative during such separation to fold the top of the upper back toward the heel to afford clearance between the last and shoe upper, said means being subsequently operable to unfold the upper. r

32'. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding alast, mechanism for ef fecting relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendlcular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means for folding the top of the upper back toward the heel prior 1, relative lengthwise movement between the last heel and shoe in a direction to engage the'heel of the last with the shoe upper.

33. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding'a last, mechanism for effecting'relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means for foldingithe t p of the upper back toward the heel prior to relative lengthwise movement between H e last heel'and shoe in a directionto engage the heel of the last with the-shoe. upper,-said means cooperating with said separating mechanism and being automatically operated thereby. V

34. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism for effecting relative movement between said shoe and last to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means automatically engaging and turning the shoe upper back toward the heel to facilitate shoe and last separation and subsequently operativeto release said upper.

footing relative movement between'said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last, and gripping means automatically operative to engage the shoe upper at opposite sides of and adjacent the back-stay, and to'turn-said upper back toward'the heel to afford clearance between the last heel and shoe upper .37. Ailast pulling machine hai 'ing, in

combination, means for holding a; shoe,

means for holding a last, mechanism for ef fectingrelative-movement between said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last, and gripping means auto matically operative to engage the shoe upper at opposite sides of and ad]acent the back stay and to turn said upper back toward the heel to afford. clearancebetween the last heel and shoe upper, said means being subsequently and automatically operated to release the upper.

a 38, A last pulling machine having; in combination, gripping means movable to engageand hold a shoe, means for holdinga last, mechanism operable tomove said grip ping meansto engage and hold a? shoe and subsequently operable to effect relative movement between saidshoe and lastin a direction: to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means cooperating with said mechanism toengage and turn the shoe upper back toward the heel toafford clearance between the last heel and shoe upper. v

09. A last pulling machine having, in combination, gripping means movable to engage and hold a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism operable to move said grip ping'mean s toengage and hold a shoe and subsequently operable to effect relative m'ove ment between said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last and means cooperating with said mechanism and operative to engage the top of theupper at opposite ides of andadjacent the back stay and to turn the upper back toward the heel to afford clearance between thelastheel and shoe upper. l I V 40. A last pulling machine having, in combination, gripping means operable to engage and hold a shoe, means for holding last, mechanism operableto move said gripping means to engage and hold ashoe and subsequently operable to effect relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last, and means cooperating with said inech-- anism and automatically operated thereby to engage the topof the shoe upper at opposite sides of and adjacent the back stay and to turn the shoe upper back toward theheel to afford clearance between the last heel and shoe upper. a

41. A last pulling machine having,- in

combination, gripping means movable; to en.-

gage and hold a shoe, means to hold a, last, mechanism operable-t0 move said gripping means to engagejand hold a shoe and subsequently operable to effect relative movement between saidshoe and last. in a direction to effect separation of said shoe and last, mov

able upper turning means'cooperating, with said mechanism and movable into operative upper turning relation uponfshoe engaging movement of saidshoe-gripping means, with means controlled by said mechanism subse-v quently to operate said turning. means to turn the top of the shoeupperbacktoward the heel to "affordclearance between thelast hee'l andshoe upper.

l2. A last pulling. machine having, in

combination, gripping means movable to en gage and hold a shoe,'means to hold. a last, mechanism operable to move andjh old'said gripping means in a'position toenga ge and hold a shoejand subsequently operable to effect relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction to effectfseparation of said shoe and last, a movable frame 211".

ranged'to inclose a part, at least,'ofithe shoe upper, upper turning means carried by'said frame, means cooperating with said mech'anisni operable, when said shoeiis gripped and held, to move said frameand turning .means'into operative relation to the. shoe upper, withmeans controlled by said mecha+ nism and subsequently operabie' to aotuat'e' said turning'means to turn the top of'said upper back toward the heel toaffo-rd'clea'r ance between the last heel and shoe upper.-

43. Shoe handling mechanism comprising,

in combination, means for supporting alast having a shoe thereon, upper gripping means movable-to engage and grip thetop of the shoe upper and subsequently movable to fold the gripped upper back toward the heel.

44:. Shoe handling mechanism comprising, in combination, means for supporting a last having a shoe thereon, upper gripping means movable in a direction to engage and grip the top of the upper at opposite sides of and adjacent to the back stay and; subsequently movable in a different direction to fold the gripped upper back toward the shoe heel. V

45. Shoe handling mechanism comprising, in combination, means for supporting a last having a shoe thereon, a movable frame arranged to inclose a portion, at least, of the upper, upper gripping means on the frame, means to move the frame to operatively position the gripping means relative to the upper, and means to operate the ripping means to turn the top of the upper back toward the heel.

46. Shoe handling mechanism comprising,

in combination, means for supporting alast having a shoe thereon, a movable frame arranged to inclose, in part at least, the rear portion of the upper, oppositely disposed gripping means carried on said frame, means to move the frame to position the gripping means to grip the top of the upper at opposite sides of and adjacent to the back stay and subsequently movable in a different di rection to fold the gripped upper back to-' ward the shoe heel.

47. A last pullmg machine having, in

combination, means for holding a shoe,

means for holding a last, means for effecting movement of said last holding means to remove the last from the shoe, and means operative during such movement to stretch the shoe counter to facilitate'removal of the last, V

48. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, means for effecting movement of the last holding means to remove the last from the shoe, and means, operative duringsuch movement and before the last heel has cleared the counter, to

stretch the shoe counter to facilitate removal of the last.

l9. A last pulling machine having, in

combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, means for effecting movement of said last holding means to move the last in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe to remove the last from the shoe, and means operative during such movement and before the last heel has cleared the shoe counter to stretchthe counter to facilitate removal of the last.

50. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe,

the counter so as to facilitate removal of the last.

51. A last pulling machine, vhaving, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a lastymechanism foreffecting movement of said last holding means completely to remove the last from the shoe, and means controlled and operated by said mechanism during such movement to spread theupper portion of the shoecounter, to facilitate removal of the last.

52. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism for effecting movement of said last holding means completely to remove the last from the shoe, and means, controlled and operated by said mechanism during such movementand prior to the time the last heel clears the shoe counter, to spread the shoe counter to facilitate removal of the last.

53. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, means for effecting movement of said last holding means to remove the last from the shoe, and means operative during such movement to turn back and stretch the shoe upper above the counter in turn to spread the counter so as to facilitate removal of the last. i r

' 54. A last pulling machine having, in

combination, means for holding a shoe, means for holding a last, mechanism for effecting relative movement of said shoe and last in a direction to separate said shoe and last, and means controlled by said mechanism. and operated during separating movement and prior to the time the last heel clears the shoe counter, .to grip and turn back the shoe upper above the counter with outward tensionto spread the counter so as to facilitate movement of the last heel out of the counter portion of the shoe. 1 V 55. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a last, means for holding a shoe including hinged members arranged to embrace at least in part the rear of the upper and to engage.

A as tion of the shoe and hinged. members to engage-the rear part of the upper at opposite esidesof the longitudinal axis of the shoe,

and mechanism forefiecting relative mo vethe longitudinal axis of the shoe and means to engage the opposite sides of the shank :portion ofthe shoe, and mechanism for ef-' fecting relative movement .of said last holdingiandshoezholding means in a direction to separateia shoe and last.

58. 'A:last pulling machinevhaving,vin combination, means for holding a last, meansi-fornholdinga shoe including means arrangedato yieldingly engage the rear part ofthe upper at oppositesides of the longi- Vtudinal axis of the shoe, said engaging means-beingfformedand arranged also to conform'substantially to the vertical conto'urpof. the counter atthe extreme rear end ofathe shoe to resist movement of the heel end of the'shoe in a planeperpendicular to 'the plane of the shoe bottom,rand mechanism for effecting relative'movement of-said .last holding. and-shoeholdingmeans in a direction toseparate a shoe and last.

59. At'last pulling machine having, in combination, Imeans for holding a last, meansfor holding a shoeincluding means toengageopposite sides of the shank portion OfthSh08 and hinged members to yieldingly engage the rearpart of theupper atoppositesides of the-longitudinal axis of the shoe, and mechanismsv for effecting relative movement between said last holding and shoeF-holding means in a direction to separate a lastandshoe.

-'60.-'A last. pulling machine having, in combination, -means for holding a, last, -means 'forholding a shoe including. means yieldinglyto;engage'opposite sides 01": the shank portion of the shoeand hinged members arrangedto embrace atrleast' in part "theirearyportion of the upper and to yieldingly engage the rearipart of the-upper at oppositeisides of the '1ongitudinal axis of the: shoe, and mechanism for effecting relative' movement between said last holding and shoe-holding means in (a direction to separate-.a'lastand shoe.

*61.c-A last pulling machi'ne having, in combination, means .for holding a last, means for holdinga-{shoe including hinged -members*--arranged to" embrace at least in part the rear-portion of= the upper-and to zengageqyieldingly the rear part of the upper :atopposite-sides ofi the' longitudinal axis of the shoe, said engaging means being formed andaarranged to conform substantially to the vertical contour ofcthe' counter at the back of the shoe to resist movement of the heel end of the shoe in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom, and

ing means including means to engage the 7 back of the shoe upper to facilitate P05111011? ing a shoe inoperative relation and mechanism' for effecting movement of said last holder to remove a last from a shoe, including movement ofithe last substantially perpendicularto the plane of the shoe bottom, said back engaging means beingfformed and arranged to conform substantially to the vertical contour of the counter at the extreme rear end of the shoe to resist movement of the heel end'of the shoe in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane'ofthe shoelbottoma r 63. A last pulling machine having, in combination, meansfor normally holding a shoe tipped about its transverse axis,means for holding a last, and mechanism for effecting. relative movement between saidshoe and .lastin a direction substantially perpendicular. to the plane of the shoe bottom and then ini'a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effect separation of the shoe and last.

combination, means for normally and adjustably holding a shoe tipped-about its transverse axis, means for holding a last, and mechanism for effecting relative movement between said shoe and last ina direction substantially perpendicular to-the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to effcctseparation of theshoe and'last.

65. Arlast pullingmachine having, in combination, means for-normally holding a shoe tipped about its transverse axis, means for'holding a: last, and mechanism for effecting relativemovement between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendicular toithe plane of the shoe bottom andthen in a direction generally lengthwise of'the shoe and last to effect separation of theshoe and last, said shoe holding'means being constructed and arranged toprevent movement of the shoein the direction of separating force and to permit movement of the shoetore-part in the opposite direction during shoe-and lastseparating movement. p 7

66. 'A lastpulling machine having, in combination,-means 'for holding a shoe by its counter and shank portions, means for hold- .ing 'a last, mechanism for-:- ettecting' relative 100 64. A last pulling machine, having in" 1 ing said holding movement between said shoeand last in a direction substantially perpendicular ,to

of separating force during such shoe and last separating movement.

67. A last pulling machine having, incombination, means for normally and adjustably holding a shoe tipped about its transverse axis, means for holdinga last, and mechanism for effecting relative movement between said shoe and last in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise or" the shoe and last to effect separation of the shoe and last, said shoe holding means being constructed and arranged to prevent movement of the shoe in the direction of separating force and to permit movement of the shoe forepart in the opposite direction during sho last separating movement.

68. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe including aheel height gage to properly posit on the shoe, means forpositioning sald holding means and gage to normally hold a shoe tipped about its transverse axis, means for holding a last, and mechanism for effecting relative movement between said shoe holding means and said iast holding means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to separate the shoe and last.

69. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe 1ncluding a heel height gage to properly posn tion the shoe, means for adjustably positionmeans and gage to hold a shoe tipped about its transverse axis, means for holding a. last, andmechanism for effecting relative movement between said shoe holding means and said last holding means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to separate the shoe and last.

7-0. A last pulling machine having, in combination, means for holding a shoe including a heel licight gage to properly position the shoe, means for positioning said holding means and gage to normally hold a shoe tipped about its transverse axis, means for holding alast, andmcchanism for ofifeeting relative movement between said shoe holding me:-: and said last holding means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in a direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to separate the shoe and last, said shoe holding means being constructed and arranged to prevent movement of the shoe in the direction of separating force and to permit movementof the shoe iorepart in the opposite direction during shoe and last separating movement.

71. A last pulling machine having, in oom bination, last holding means, shoe holding means including means for engaging the shank portion of the upper at opposite sides and constructed to oppose heel-Ward movement of the shoe,and mechanism for efiecting relative movement between said last and shoe holding means in a direction to separate the shoe and last. I V

7 2. A last pulling machine having, in combination, last holding means, shoe holding means including means for engaging the shank portion of the upper at opposite sides, said means having their contact faces shaped to conform to the longitudinal contour of the shank portion of the upper so as to oppose heel-ward movementof the shoe, and mechanism for effecting relative movement between said last and shoe holding means in a direction to'separate the shoe and last.

7 3. A last pulling machine having, in combination, last holding means, shoe holding means including means for engaging the: shank portion of the upper at opposite sides having contact faces shaped to conform to the longitudinal and vertical contour of the shank portion of the upper to prevent heel- Ward movement and movement in a plane at an angle to the plane of the sl oe bottom, and mechanism for eifecting relative movemont between said last and shoe holding means in av direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and then in direction generally lengthwise of the shoe and last to separate the shoe and last.

74. A last pullingmachine having, in combination, last holding means, shoe holding means including means for engaging thev shank'portlon of the upper at opposite sides,

said means having contact faces shaped to conform to the longitudinal contour of the shank portion oi the upper so as to oppose heel-ward movement of the shoe, said contact faces being of compressible grippingf material, and. mechanism for effecting relative movement between said last and shoe holding means in a direction to separate said last and shoe. v 75, A last pulling machine having, in combination, last holding means, shoe holding means including means constructed to engage opposite sides of the shoe above the plane of the sole at the shank of the shoe and arranged yieldingly to oppose movement of the shoe in. a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom, and mechanism for effecting relative move- 

